Campomanesia aromatica (Aubl.) Grisebach (1860: 242)

Amorim, Gabriela Dos Santos, Barbosa, Maria Regina De Vasconcellos, Jr, Eduardo Bezerra De Almeida & Thomas, William Wayt, 2022, Taxonomic study of Myrtaceae in forest fragments in Amazonian Maranhão, Brazil, Phytotaxa 568 (1), pp. 27-60 : 33

2. Campomanesia aromatica (Aubl.) Grisebach (1860: 242) .

Basionym:— Psidium aromaticum Aublet (1775: 191) .

Type:— FRENCH GUIANA. “Habitat in sylvis Caiennae & Guianae”, Aublet s.n. (holotype: BM 953694 , image) .

Shrubs 1.5–3.5 m. Twigs glabrous or sparsely pubescent, the indumentum whitish. Leaves with petioles 7–13 mm long, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, the indumentum whitish, channeled or shallowly channeled on the basal half; blades elliptic to broadly so, ovate or obovate, 5.6–10.8 × 2.9–5.1 cm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, pubescent when young, the whitish, membranaceous or chartaceous, discolorous; glands conspicuous, dark; base cuneate, rounded, or obtuse; apex acute or acuminate; midvein adaxially impressed; lateral veins impressed and covered with indumentum whitish abaxially and prominent adaxially, not arched, 5 to 12 pairs; intra-marginal vein absent, margin flat. Inflorescence axillary, a solitary flower, the axis inconspicuous; bracts lanceolate, ovate or oblong, 5–7 × 1 mm, puberulent, caducous after anthesis; pedicels 12–42 mm long, puberulent; bracteoles linear, 1.5–3 × 0.1–0.2 mm, pubescent, caducous after anthesis; flower buds globose, 3.2–3.9 × 3–3.5 mm, not constricted above ovary; calyx-lobes partially fused in the lower third of the bud, five, obovate or obtriangular, 1–2 × 1 mm, sparsely pubescent or pubescent, not reflexed, persistent in the fruit; ovary 3–7-locular. Immature fruits globose, 0.4–1.1 × 0.4–1 cm, sparsely pubescent, surface smooth.

Note:— Campomanesia aromatica may be recognized by having blades with lateral veins covered with whitish indumentum abaxially, impressed, 5 to 12 on each side; the flowers are solitary with pedicels 12–42 mm long; calyxlobes partially fused in the lower third of the bud, five; and a 3–7-locular ovary.

Distribution and habitat:— Known from Bolivia, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad-Tobago, Venezuela and widely distributed in Brazil (POWO 2020, Flora do Brasil 2020). In Amazonian Maranhão, C. aromatica was found growing along a road, and in “terra firme” and secondary forests.

Phenology:— Flowering in January and fruiting in January and February.

Specimens examined:— BRAZIL. Maranhão: Alcântara, 04 February 1984 (fr.), A.M.V. Carvalho 2078 (SPF, image). São Luís, Estrada do Tirirical , 2°31’47” S, 44°18’10” W, February-March 1939 (fr.), R.L. Fróes 11526 ( NY!) ; Sítio Andiroba , 07 August 1980 (st.), M.G. Silva 5693 ( MG!) ; Sítio Santa Eulália , 2°30’56” S, 44°16’37” W, 20 January 1988 (fl.), E. Barroso 47 ( SLUI!) ; 2°30’52” S, 44°16’34” W, 29 January 2018 (fr.), G.S. Amorim 417 ( MAR!) ; 2°30’52” S, 44°16’33” W, 26 February 2018 (fr.), G.S. Amorim 490 ( MAR!) .

Additional specimen examined:— BRAZIL. Maranhão: São José de Ribamar, praia de Caúra , 13 January 2017 (fl.), G.S. Amorim 507 ( MAR!) .